A few weeks ago, the elementary students attended an assembly program. Curtis Hed came to Dell Rapids Elementary to perform his “Magic of Being Kind” show. Curtis’s show was full of juggling acts, magic tricks and humor.

Throughout the show, he continued to give a message to students that they are each important. Therefore, it is important to make a choice to be kind to one another. Students were eager to share some of their favorite moments of the program during classroom guidance, and it was evident they really enjoyed the show.
In addition to addressing kindness, several other topics have been discussed during classroom guidance this year. First grade classes have been listening to “Froggy and Friends” talk about using their manners at school and home. Third grade classes have been using their LifeSkills workbooks to learn about self-esteem and decision-making. Other classes have been focusing on feelings, friendships and making good choices.

Throughout the next few weeks, junior and senior students, who have chosen to volunteer their time and have attended training at Volunteers of America, will be paired with elementary students to become a Study Buddy. They will meet once a week for 20-30 minutes to provide academic help and emotional support. Study Buddies have been shown to have a positive effect on younger students’ self-esteem and academic skills through role modeling.